OVERVIEW

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Jordan Lake

Kawishiwi Ranger District

Jordan Lake is one of the prettier lakes in this area. In particular, the Jordan Lake narrows which connect the main body of Jordan Lake to Ima Lake are worth exploring. There are several large cliff and rock formation through here. The are two cliffs in particular of note that have dark vertical orange colored banding on them. The larger cliff, which is closer to the main part of Jordan Lake has a few very faint pictographs which are sort of down by the waterline towards the Ima Lake end of the cliff (see images below on this page). It is hard to make out the reddish images though. On the end of the cliff closest to Jordan Lake (left end), there appears to be some more modern letters (graffiti?) painted on the cliff, fairly high up (the letters D + M stood out).

From Jordan Lake, there is an easy bushwhack into Three Eagle Lake which is within the Spider Lake Primitive Management Area (PMA). This would make a good day trip and the fishing for small pike in Three Eagle Lake is pretty good most of the time. There are no campsites on Three Eagle Lake and you must obtain a PMA permit from the U.S. Forest Service is you want to camp there. You are free to visit the lake during the day though.

There are three campsites on Jordan Lake and they are all pretty good. The one on the very south end of the lake is probably the best and most secluded.

Jordan Lake has walleye and northern pike. The lake may get a lot of fishing pressure since camping on this lake is popular.

Exploring Jordan Lake

Small bay on the west side of Jordan Lake where the portage landing to Cattyman Lake can be found. The creek that connects Jordan Lake to Cattyman Lake also flows out of this bay.

You setup from the portage landing that leads to Cattyman Lake. You paddle quickly out of the small bay on Jordan Lake and into the open part of the lake. You head directly across the main part of the lake to the entrance to the Jordan Lake narrows.

A prominent point in the south end of Jordan Lake as viewed from the mouth of the Jordan Lake narrows.

The sparkling waters of Jordan Lake. The view is towards the south from the entrance to the bay where the Jordan Lake narrows begin.

The mouth of the bay leading to the Jordan Lake narrows is at the far left of your view here. In the distance, about the middle of the view, is where the entrance begins to the narrows. The interesting cliff with the pictographs is just beyond that point.

Soon after entering the Jordan Lake narrows, there is a large cliff on the left side of the channel that has orange-lichen banding. This is the cliff that has the pictographs on it. As you pass this cliff, the location of the pictographs is just left (probably, could not find them) of the two long tree logs that are leaning against the cliff having fallen from the top of it. This pictographs are very difficult to make out and you will have to visit the area and study the cliff to see them. There are probably three images here: A hand print, a moose and a canoe. The pictographs are down low, about two to five feet above the water. There is another similar cliff that is farther down the channel towards Ima Lake. This cliff is smaller and even looks like the previous one you passed by, but it is not the one with the pictographs (see images below).

Location of the pictographs (maybe?).

This is the smaller of the two prominent, orange-banded cliffs along the Jordan Lake narrows. This particular cliff is farther down the channel closer to the Ima Lake portage. This cliff DOES NOT have the pictographs. Also, a book about BWCA and Quetico pictographs indicates the Jordan Lake pictographs are on a cliff in the bay where the portage to Cattyman Lake begins. This is not the case. The pictographs are in the narrows leading to Ima Lake on the east side of Jordan Lake.

This is the small creek that brings the waters of Ima Lake into Jordan Lake. During high water, these rapids are much more impressive. Here you are viewing it during mid-summer when the water is kind of low.

Looking back to the south down the Jordan Lake narrows from very near the Ima Lake portage landing.